Criminal justice reporter

Athens Clarke police arrested a 23-year-old man early Thursday morning after he allegedly bit a woman’s buttocks in a downtown Athens bar.

David Franklin Cruz reportedly also fondled another woman in the bar and had earlier tried to kiss a man and woman ouside on the sidewalk.

An officer on patrol at about 1:15 a.m. saw a group of people in an altercation at the corner of North Lumpkin and East Clayton streets, and found several bar patrons trying to push Cruz and another man out of the establishment.

After placing Cruz in handcuffs, the officer interviewed a 22-year-old woman who “told me that (Cruz) had dropped to his knees and had bitten her on her buttocks,” according to the officer’s report.

“I also met with another victim that would not identify herself that told me she had been fondled on her breast by (Cruz) and that she did not want to file charges,” the officer wrote in his report.

A bar employee corroborated both women’s allegations, telling the officer he had told Cruz and his friend to leave after witnessing Cruz accost the women, according to the report.

After Cruz was under arrest, a 23-year old man and a 19-year old woman approached the officer to say that they had fended off unwanted advances by Cruz outside the bar, police said.

“They stated to me that Cruz had stopped them on the sidewalk and had tried to kiss each of them and they had to shove him away,” the officer stated in his report.

The arresting officer wrote in his report that Cruz had the odor of alcohol on his breath and behaved “in a very agitated and uncontrollable manner.”

Cruz, of Ruth Street, was charged with sexual battery. He and his friend, a Waycross resident, were charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct.